Journal box construction for railway cars



July 16, 1963 'r. J. SWEGER 3,097,894

JOURNAL BOX CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1 25 INVENTOR. THEODORE 3'. SWEGEE QTTY July 16, 1963 T. J. SWEGER 3,097,894

JOURNAL BOX CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THEODORE. J SUP-GER ATTY United States Patent 3,097,894 JOURNAL BOX CONSTRUCTION FGR RAILWAY CARS Theodore J. Sweger, Riverdale, 111., assignor to Illinois Railway Equipment Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 177,079 7 Claims. (Cl. 30840) This invention relates, generally, to the construction of railway car journal boxes and it has particular relation to the provision of journal guides therein. It constitutes an improvement over the invention disclosed in application Serial No. 115,580, filed June 7, 1961.

The foregoing application is directed to the mounting of journal guides between the diametrically opposite sides of an axle journal and the juxtaposed side walls of the journal box in which it is positioned. The journal bearing construction there disclosed is of the so-called steeple back type and it comprises a removable wedge having a longitudinally recessed lower side with inclined downwardly facing longitudinal fiat surfaces bearing against correspondingly upwardly inclined and upwardly facing longitudinal flat surfaces on the upper side of the journal bearing. The sides of the journal bearing extend downwardly and along the axle journal through a limited extent but not sufliciently far as to interfere with journal stops located between the side walls of the journal box and the diametrically opposite sides of the axle journal when the journal box is elevated to permit removal of the wedge and journal bearing.

In order to improve the life of the bearing construction and to make it more resistant to shock incident to train operation, a rso-called flat back type of bearing is employed. Here the wedge is generally in the form of a flat plate interposed between the top wall of the journal box and a fiat upper surface of a journal bearing the sides of which extend downwardly over the axle journal substantially further than do the sides of the journal bearing of the steeple bac When the journal box provided with a fl-at back journal bearing is elevated to permit its removal, the sides of such a hearing would engage or interfere with the upper sides of the journal guides stationari'ly mounted on the side walls of the journal box as described in the application above referred to since in the arrangement there shown no downward displacement of the journal guides is permitted.

Accordingly, among the objects of this invention are: To provide for mounting journal guides in a railway car journal box in such manner as to permit the same to be depressed on engagement by the sides of a journal bearing when the journal box is elevated to permit removal of the associated wedge and journal bearing and thereafter being elevated automatically to operative position; to accomplish these functions while applying the biasing action of spring mechanisms which not only accommodate the movement of the journal guides out of interfering relation with the journal hearing when the journal box is elevated but also hold the journal guides in operative position between the side walls of the journal box and the diametrically opposite sides of the journal bearing; to provide a holder for each journal guide from which the spring mechanisms extend to react against the journal box; to employ a support in the form of a channel with a part of the journal guide carried thereby projecting through the bottom wall and the spring mechanisms in the form of flat springs extending from the ends of the 'channelto overlie studs extending inwardly from the side wall of the journal box; to form the support as a loop of spring wire with overlying ends having extensions arranged for detachable connection to supports on the 3,697,894 Patented July 16, 1963 side wall of the journal box; to provide a loop of spring Wire at each end of a spring wire frame that overlies the lower portions of the side walls and the bottom wall of the journal box with the frame formed with a resilient portion between each loop and the central portion of the frame to provide the biasing action.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a railway journal box of conventional type showing by dot and dash lines the outline of the railway car axle surmounted by a wedge and journal bearing of the flat back type and showing by full lines the journal guide of the present invention and how it is resiliently mounted on one wall of the journal box.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the relationship of the parts when the railway axle is positioned in the journal box in running condition.

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 2, but showing the relative position of the railway car axle and parts associated therewith when the journal box is elevated or jacked to a position where the flat back wedge and journal bearing can be removed and showing how the journal guide on one side Wall of the journal box is depressed to permit this removal.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the journal guide and its supporting mechanism illustrated in the preceding figures, the head of one of the support studs being shown as if it were formed of transparent material in order to show more clearly the construction of the intermediate arcuate spring section.

:FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the side walls of the journal box shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and illustrates how another support structure can be employed in lieu of that shown in the preceding figures to accommodate vertical movement of the journal guide when it is engaged by a side of the journal bearing prior to its removal, the showing here being in the form which indicates how the journal guide is assembled in its support and the support is detachably mounted on the side wall of the journal box.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of still another embodiment of the invention in which journal guides constructed as shown in FIG. 5 are mounted at the ends of a spring wire frame having resilient sections between the support sections and the intermediate section of the frame with the entire assembly being arranged for mount ing in the journal box construction such as that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that the reference character 10 designates, generally, a railway car axle of conventional construction. As indicated above the railway car axle 10 is shown by dot and dash lines in order to illustrate more clearly the present invention. The railway car axle 10 includes an axle journal 11 that has an end collar 12 at its outer end in accordance with conventional practice. The longitudinal axis of rotation of the axle 10 is indicated by the broken line 13 and is indicated at 13 in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The railway car axle 10 extends into a railway car journal box 14 of conventional construction with the axle journal 11 being wholly positioned therein. The journal box 14 includes a top 15, depending side walls one of which is shown at 16, and a concave bottom wall 17. At its outer end the journal box 14 is provided with an end wall 18 which is located underneath a lid opening 19 (the lid not being shown). At the end of the journal box 14- opposite the lid opening 19 is a dust guard well 24 which is formed between vertical walls 21 and 22 for receiving a conventional dust guard (not shown). The railway car axle 11 has a hub portion 23 which extends through suitable openings in the vertical walls 21 and 22 and thus limits the extent to which the journal box 14 can be elevated or jacked as shown in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a Wedge stop 25 which depends from the under side of the top wall of the journal box 14. The Wedge stop is provided in order to hold a flat back wedge 26 in normal operating position on the under side of the top wall 15. The fiat back wedge 26 overlies a flat back journal hearing 27, these parts being shown by dot and dash lines in FIG. 1 in order to illustrate more clearly the details of the invention. Sidewise movement of the flat back journal bearing 27 is limited by brass stop columns one of which is indicated at 28. Outward movement of the flat back journal bearing 27 is prevented by an upstanding rib 29 at its inner end which overlies the juxtaposed end of the flat back wedge 26. Inward movement of the fiat back journal bearing 27 is limited by laterally extending wings, FIG. 2, one of which is shown at 30 in overlying relation with respect to the juxtaposed brass stop column 28. The flat back journal bearing 27 has a lining 31 of bearing metal in accordance with conventional practice.

The depending sides of the fiat back journal bearing 27 extend downwardly over the surface of the axle journal 11 substantially further than do the sides of steeple back journal bearing. One of these sides is indicated at 32.

While the depending sides 32 and further extension of the lining 31 of bearing metal improve the operating characteristics of the bearing construction and its resistance to shock incident to switching of the car, starting and stopping, still there is substantial deterioration of the bearing construction which can be avoided largely by the provision of journal guides between the side walls 16 of the journal box 14 and the diametrically opposite sides of the axle journal 11.

For this purpose each of the side walls 16 is provided with a journal guide, indicated generally at 33, and formed preferably of brass or a metal having a brass facing. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings each journal guide 33 includes a base portion 34 the rear side of which is arranged to have sliding contact engagement with the inner surface of the juxtaposed side walls 16. Each journal guide 33 includes an integral projecting portion 35 having a bearing face 36 which is spaced slightly from the juxtaposed surface of the axle journal 11 with the journal guide 33 and face 36 thereon being centrally located with respect to a line 37 which extends in a horizontal plane through the axis 13 of rotation of the axle journal 11 when the journal box 14 is in the running position shown in FIG. 2.

Various supports can be employed in accordance with this invention for the journal guide 33. As shown more clearly in FIG. 4 a support, indicated at 38, is provided of generally channel shape with an opening 39 in the bottom wall 40' through which the portion 35 projects. The support 38 has an upper flange 41 and a lower flange 42 which overlie, respectively, the upper and lower sides of the base portion 34 and serve to control its position.

Extending laterally from the ends of the lower flange 42 are flat spring extensions 43-43 which have intermediate arcuate spring sections 44-44 and end hook sec tions 45-45 which are arranged to overlie studs 46-46 which extend inwardly from each of the side walls 16. Each of the studs 46 is provided with a head 47 to prevent the respective arcuate end hook section from becoming detached.

The application of the journal guide 33 to the side walls 16 is shown more clearly in FIG. 1. Here it will be observed that the support 38 is located intermediate the Studs 6-46 with the central portion of the face 4 36 being located along the axis 13. In this position the journal guide 33 is located where it can receive directly the impact of the axle journal 11 and Where force applied to the journal box 14 can be applied directly to the axle journal along the line 37, FIG. 2, and at such a position that the tendency for the flat back journal bearing 27 to ride up the surface of the axle journal 11 is minimized.

When the journal guide 33 is positioned at the location described and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be apparent that it is in interfering relation with the lower side 32 of the journal bearing 27 when the journal box 14 is elevated or jacked to the position shown in FIG. 3 Where the hub portion 23 of the car axle 10 engages the upper side of the vertical wall 21. This distance is indicated at 48 in FIG. 3 and is just sufiicient to move the wedge stop 25 upwardly so as to clear the wedge 26 and permit it to be withdrawn. It will be seen in FIG. 3 that the journal bearing 27 maintains its position on the upper side of the axle journal 11 when the journal box 14 is elevated with the result that the sides 32 move into interfering engagement with the respective journal guide 33 and in particular engage the upper surface 49 of the projecting portion 35. As a result the journal guide 33 is depressed through the extent indicated at 50 or below the position shown by the broken lines in FIG. 3 which represent the operative position of the journal guide 33, as shown in FIG. 2. Since the journal guide 33 on each of the side walls 16 is depressed, it will be apparent that the journal bearing 27 can move downwardly sufficiently far to permit the wedge 26 to be withdrawn past the wedge stop 25. Thereafter the journal bearing 27 can be raised from the upper side of the axle journal 11 and withdrawn through the lid opening 19. When the journal bearing 27 and wedge 26 are replaced with the journal box 14 in the elevated position as shown in FIG. 3, the sequence of operations is reversed with the journal bearing 27 being first applied and depressing the journal guides 33 to such an extent that the wedge 26 can be inserted. Now, when the journal box 14 is lowered to the running position shown in FIG. 2, the journal guides 33 are positioned automatically centrally of the line 37 in the horizontal plane through the longitudinal axis 13 of rotation of the axle journal 11.

While the present invention has been described with particular relation to a construction employing a flat back wedge and a flat back journal bearing, it will be understood that it can be applied in any journal box construction in which it is necessary to provide for displacing the journal guides downwardly through a distance suflicient to permit removal and application of the wedge and journal bearing when the journal box is elevated.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of this invention which can be employed in lieu of the journal guide 33 and associated parts as shown in the preceding figures and described above. In FIG. 5 the journal guide, preferably of brass, is shown, generally, at 53 and it includes a base portion 54 that is arranged to slide over the inner surface of the juxtaposed side Walls 16. The journal guide 53 has a projecting portion 55 that extends from the base portion 54 through a support that is indicated, generally, at 56. In this embodiment of the invention the support 56 is formed of resilient wire having a circular cross section and it includes a loop 57 through which the projecting portion 55 extends when the complete assembly on the side walls 16 is made. The loop 57 is formed by oppositely extending bottom sections 58-58 which continue on as spring extensions 59-59 and terminate in downturned end sections 60-60 that are arranged to have detachable connection with loops 61-61 that may be secured, as by welding, to the inside of the side walls 16.

FIG. 5 is somewhat schematic in character in that it shows in a single figure how the journal guide 53 is assembled with the support 56 prior to the application of the entire assembly to the side wall 16 of the journal box. It will be understood that the projecting portion 55 is inserted through the loop 57 and then, after the axle journal 11 has been inserted into the journal box 14, as shown in FIG. 1, the journal guide 53 assembled on the support 56 is applied to the side wall 16, one assembly on each side. The face 62 of the projecting portion 55 then is positioned in the same location as the face 36 of the journal guide 33 previously described. Now it will be apparent that the spring extensions 59- 59 permit the depression of the journal guide 53 when the journal box is jacked to, the elevated position shown in FIG. 3 and the lower edges of journal bearing, such as the journal bearing 27, engage the upper side of the respective projecting portion 55.

FIG. 6 shows another construction for mounting the journal guides 53, constructed as shown in FIG. 5, in a journal box such as the journal box 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Here it will be observed that the support, indicated generally at 64, is in the form of a spring wire frame. Loops 65-65 are located at the ends of the frame '64 and each has bottom sections 66- 66 extending in opposite directions and continuing on into reverse turn sections 67-67 which are resilient in character. The reverse turn sections 67-67 each include oppositely extending torsion bar sections 68-68 which extend into arcuate connecting sections 69-69. The support 64 is formed from a single length of spring wire preferably having a circular cross section and the end portions 70-70 can be joined together, if desired, by welding.

It will be understood that the support 64 and particularly the arcuate connecting sections 69-69 thereof are so arranged and constructed as to snugly fit with the concave bottom wall .17 of the journal box 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The upper ends of the arcuate connecting sections 69-69 overlie the lower portions of the inner surfaces of the side walls 16.

The journal guides 53-, as shown in FIG. 6, are assembled in the loops 65-65 and positioned in the journal box with the faces 62-62 in the same positions as the faces 36 of the journal guides 33 previously described. Preferably reverse turn sections 67-67 are canted slightly toward the axle journal located between the journal guides 53-53 in order to take more complete advantage of the torsion bar action provided by the torsion bar sections 68-68. This arrangement makes it possible to more efficiently resiliently mount the journal guides 53- 53 at the ends of the support 64 so that they can be depressed to permit the application of the journal bearing and its wedge to the axle journal and their removal in the manner described for the journal guides 33.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a railway car journal box construction adapted to receive therein an axle journal, said journal box having spaced vertical side Walls with the axle journal in spaced relation therebetween, top and bottom walls interconnect ing said side walls above and below said axle journal, a journal bearing overlying said axle journal with its sides extending downwardly, a wedge interposed between said top wall and said journal bearing, and a wedge stop depending from said top wall to prevent endwise movement of said wedge out of said journal box; said journal box being movable upwardly relative to said journal bearing for a limited distance to relieve the weight of the car applied to said axle journal through said top wall, wedge and journal bearing and sufficient to elevate said wedge stop out of interfering relation with said wedge to permit removal of said wedge and said journal bearing from said journal box; the improvement which comprises: a journal guide interposed between each side wall and the diametrically opposite sides of said axle journal with the upper side of each journal guide in interfering relation respectively with the depending sides of said journal bearing when said journal box is elevated as aforesaid, a support surrounding each journal guide, and spring means interposed between each support and said journal box characterized by permitting said journal guides to be depressed a substantial distance by said journal bearing when said journal box is elevated through an extent sufficient to allow withdrawal of said wedge and subsequent removal of said journal bearing and further characterized by holding said journal guides in operative position between said side walls and said axle journal when said journal guides are not depressed as aforesaid.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spring means is interposed between each support and its respective side wall.

3. The invention, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the support is in the form of a channel shaped housing with a part of the respective journal guide projecting through the bottom and the spring means is in the form of a flat spring extension at each end overlying a projection extending inwardly from the respective side wall.

4. The invention, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the support is in the form of a loop of spring wire the extending ends of which are detachably secured to the respective side wall at locations spaced below a horizontal plane through the axis of rotation of the axle journal with the intervening sections forming the spring means and providing the upward biasing action.

5. The invention, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support is in the form of a loop of spring wire with each loop being located at the end of a spring wire frame overlying the lower portions of the side walls and the bottom wall with a resilient section between each loop and the intermediate section of the frame.

6. The invention, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the ends of each loop are extended through reverse turn sections acting as torsion bars to provide the biasing action References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Foss July 27, 1954 Hare Oct. 25, 1960 

1. IN A RAILWAY CAR JOURNAL BOX CONSTRUCTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THEREIN AN AXLE JOURNAL, SAID JOURNAL BOX HAVING SPACED VERTICAL SIDE WALLS WITH THE AXLE JOURNAL IN SPACED RELATION THEREBETWEEN, TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE WALLS ABOVE ABOVE BELOW SAID AXLE JOURNAL, A JOURNAL BEARING OVERLYING SAID AXLE JOURNAL WITH ITS SIDES EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY, A WEDGE INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID TOP WALL AND SAID JOURNAL BEARING, AND A WEDGE STOP DEPENDING FROM SAID TOP WALL TO PREVENT ENDWISE MOVEMENT OF SAID WEDGE OUT OF SAID JOURNAL BOX; SAID JOURNAL BOX BEING MOVABLE UPWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID JOURNAL BEARING FOR A LIMITED DISTANCE TO RELIEVE THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR APPLIED TO SAID AXLE JOURNAL THROUGH SAID TOP WALL, WEDGE AND JOURNAL BEARING AND SUFFICIENT TO ELEVATE SAID WEDGE STOP OUT OF INTERFERING RELATION WITH SAID WEDGE TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF SAID WEDGE AND SAID JOURNAL BEARING FROM SAID JOURNAL BOX; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: A JOURNAL 